Thurlow Nunn League: Norwich CBS preparing for their big night at new Football Development Centre home in Bowthorpe
Joint Norwich CBS boss Andrew Collison celebrates winning the Anglian Combination title last season. Picture: ANTONY KELLY - Credit: copyright ARCHANT 2017
The Football Development Centre in Bowthorpe takes on a fresh feel this evening when Norwich CBS play their first competitive fixture at their new home.
The Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties First Division new boys, rebranded since winning the Anglian Combination title as Spixworth last season, host King's Lynn Town Reserves.
They began the campaign with a solid 1-1 draw at Braintree Town Reserves last Saturday but are hoping for a good crowd at the FDC's Field of Dreams pitch this evening (7.45pm).
'We're really excited, especially after Saturday, that was a very decent result against a very good side,' said Mark Collison, who manages the team alongside his brother Andrew.
'So we've got used to it and now we've got the big opportunity to play where we wanted to at our new home.'
Norwich have brought in players including midfielder Lee Mason from Norwich United and former Wroxham forwards Jordan Attree and Jordan Rocastle over the summer to strengthen the club's first campaign at step six of the non-league pyramid.
The experienced Paul Cook is available to face Lynn Reserves tonight after missing the draw at Braintree but fellow striker Luke Tuttle is still out with a back problem.
'I'm expecting a tough game to be honest,' Collison added. 'It looks like their first team have signed a lot of players and some of their guys are going to be on the cusp and playing for the reserves, so they can see what they think of them.
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'I think we'll see that all season, not totally a reserve side, so I expect their standards to be up.'
• Also in action tonight are Fakenham Town, who host Walsham le Willows at Clipbush Park in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division (7.45pm).
The Ghosts have had a shaky start to the season, losing 3-0 at home to top-flight new boys Coggeshall on the opening day, before being knockout out of the FA Cup in the extra preliminary round by Wellingborough Town, in a 2-0 home defeat.
Losing 6-0 at Newmarket on Tuesday compounded that difficult start to Robbie Harris's second spell in charge and Walsham arrive having taken four points from their two games so far.